Automatic railway safety signal



March 25, 1930. F. SMITT AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SAFETY SIGNAL I Filed Aug. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR BY Fara/2502122 ATTORNEY :Mai'ch 25, 1930.

F. SMITT AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SAFETY 'SIGNAL Fild Aug. 14, 19294 BY E A TTORNEY 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATEN'T OFFICE rBANx snrr'r, or ron'r WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, AssreNon or SIX PER CENT TO NELLm xnurrNsxr, or roar WASHINGTON, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SAFETY SIGNAL Application filed August 14, 1929. Serial No. 385,900.

r This invention relates to an automatic railway switch and signal and its principal object is to provide an apparatus which is mechanically operated through power supplied .by an element projecting from a passing engine, or

train.

A. further object is a means whereby the passing train, or locomotive, not only throws the switch into operative position, but, upon the passing of the said locomotive or train to a safe distance beyond the switch, will return the same to its normal position of rest.

. Y Another feature of the invention is an audible signal which is set in operation before the throwingof the said switch and will continue to sound for a suflicient length of time to allow for the approach and entire passing of the said train.

' A novel locking mechanism is also provided which operates in conjunction with the other elements of the invention.

- This apparatus makes it possible for an engineer, or trainman to cause the setting of a switch on the approach of his engine, or train thereto, and without the necessity of stopping for this purpose. The carelessness or absence of switch attendants is provided against and a saving to the road is effected by theelimination of theirsalaries. Accidents are practically impossible as the working of the device is automatic and its construction is rugged and simple andcalculated to withstand the strains of heavy service, and being fully me 'chanical in its operation, there is no possibility of failure by reason of the breaking of wires or failure ofcurrent as is sometimes the I case in electrical devices.

4 For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and acornpanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a ortion of a single track railway system and illustrates the invention as applied thereto.

0 Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear View of a switch throwing standard in position at the right side of a railroad track on which is seen a portion of an engine cab over a drive wheel, and

a hand lever bar attached to the side of the said cab.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear View of'a bell standard with the end of the movement casing removed to disclose the interior mechanism.

Fig. 5. is a side view of movement casing, partially in section and as seen on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the base of the. throwing standard in section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a single track switch as that shown in Fig. and on a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of the invention as installed on a double track railway system.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan 'view of the switch locking mechanism.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 1 of the drawings in which the tracks of the main line are seen at 10 and 11 and the directions east and west indicated by the arrows 12 and 13 respectively. A spur, or siding is represent-' ed by the tracks 14 and 15 and an open switch is shown at 16.. For a detailed description of this switch Fig. 7 should be observed in conunction with Fig. 1. It is constructed as follows: A slide'element 20 is mounted on a tie 21 or other suitable support and is guided by studs within the slots 22. To this element are attached the loose rails 23 and 24 which are mounted in the usual manner. An angle lever 25 is rotatively mounted adjacent to the sllde element and engages the same by means of a slot 26 and the stud 27 When this lever is swung around by means of connector 28 it pulls the slide element forward against the sprlng 29 which is provided with a central guide rod and a stop member 30.

Assuming that a train is passing westward on the main line tracks, the switch is thrown on the approach of the said train, or by the impinging of a ush rod, which will be described later, on t e threw her 32 0f the Stand:

exerts a pull on connector 28 which acts against the lever 25 in the manner previously described.

The locking of the switch is accomplished by means of the lock bar 39, the details of which will be described later. This bar is under pressure of the spring 40 and when the slide element 20 is drawn into closed position it slips into the notch 41 and remains there until released.

;A bell signal 44 is mounted in advance of the throw standard and this rings continuously during the approach and passing of the train. This signal may beat any requlred distance from the switch location to provlde adequate warning of the train approach. It is provided with a throw bar similar to that of the standard 33.

. Af erthe train has passed clear of the switch and onto the spur line tracks 14 and 15, the lock bar 39 is withdrawn by contact of the train with the bar 32 of the release standard 46. This acts through the connectmg element 47 and the rocker 48 to pull the said lock bar.

Should a train or locomotive approach the main line along the spur tracks 14 and 15, it will ring the signal as already described and will then throw the switch by means of the throw standard adjacent to the. said tracks acting through the connector 50. The lock bar will engage as before and will be released when the train contacts with the release standard shown at the eastern, or right hand,

extremity of the diagram. 4

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the locomotive cab 53 seen over the track 10 and the drive wheel 54, has a bracket 55. This may, of course, be attached to a-car of the train if desired. On this bracket is supported a hand bar 56 having a push bar 57' integral therewith, and on the bar 57 is a drop member 58 which is adapted to engage the throw bar 32 when in operative position.

.The hand bar may be-lifted and the bar 57 turned in toward the train as indicated by the dotted line 60, when it rests in the grooves 61. When turned outward it is buttressed by the side members 62.

The throw standard 33 seen in Figs. 2 and 6 has a base 65 on which is a socket 66 which holds the shaft 67. This shaft is further supported by the frame 68 and it extends upward and supports signal discs 69 of the usual form and coloring. Over the discs is a' signal lamp 70. A throw bar 32 is keyed on to the shaft in position to engage the push bar 57 of the train by which it is adapted to be swung around in passing. At the lower end ofthe shaft is attached the base lever 71 which is slotted at 72 and is held back against the stop pin 73 by the spring 74. The L bar 34 ongages the slot 72 by the stud 73 and is adapted to be swung over when the shaft is rotated.

The bell standard has a frame similar to that of the throw standard and a shaft 78 on which is a throw bar 32 which is also similar to that'of the throw standard.

A movement casing 79 supports a bell 80 and this bell is actuated by the hammer 81 being tripped by the lever 82 which is on a shaft 83 and is-connected with the-escapement 84, which escapement controls the unwinding of the spring 85. This spring is wound up by the gears 86 when the bar 32 is thrown around by the passing train.

The lock elements seen in Fig. 9 comprises the bar 39 which is slotted at 90 and guided by the studs 91. It is pressed forward by the spring 40 and is withdrawn by the connector 92 in the manner previously described.

' InuFig. 8 is shown the apparatus as applied to a double track railroad system. In this diagram the east bound tracks areindicated by the arrow 93 and the westbound by the arrow 94. Pass-over tracks are shown at 95 connectingthe main line tracks. Switches 16 are shown at the extremities of the passover track and the general construction of these is similar to that already described except that the lock notches 41 are turned toward each other. In this arrangement, a train approaching on the west bound track and to be switched over to the east bound, would throw the bar of the standard 33 seen in this view and this would close the switch at A and by means of the connectors 96, 97, 98 and 99 and the levers 101 and 102, would apply a parallelogram of forces to also close the switch at B. Both lock bars would engage their respective switches and when the train threw the bar of the standard 46 seen at the left extremity o'fthe diagram the connector 103 would cause the withdrawal of the 7 lock bars by" means of the rocker levers 48 which, in this case are also arranged to exert the parallelogram force through the connectors 104 and 105.

The apparatus provides for the operation of the switches from either direction as is shown in the diagram.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United Letters Patent is-: I r

1. A railway switch apparatus comprising slidable elements having movable track members thereto attached. and the said slidable elements located at the junctures ofa passover track and main lines of track which are relatively parallel to each other, means to move the said slidable elements into closed sitions, and said means to simultaneously repositions simultaneously through the action lease the locking elements being located beof contact elements placed in the respective tween said locking bars.

lines of approach of the switch proper, means In testimony whereof I have atfixed my to lock the said slidable elements in closed signature.

positions and means to simultaneously release the locking elements by the operation of rocking levers adjacent thereto and connected to each other by elements forming a parallelogram and adapted to exert the force thereof when acted upon by one of a pair of release elements, which elements are respectively connectedto the said rocking levers and are located in the lines of departure from the switch assemblies.

2. A railway switch apparatus comprising slidable elements having movable track members thereto attached and the said slidable elements located at the junctures of a passover track and main lines of track which are relatively parallel to each other, means to move the said slidable elements into closed poisitions simultaneously through the action of contact elements placed in the respective lines of approach of the switch proper, means to lock the said slidable elements in closed positions and means to simultaneously release the locking elements by the operation of rock-- ing levers adjacent thereto and connected to each other by elements forming a parallelogram and adapted to exert the force thereof .when acted upon by one of a. air of release elements. which elements are respectively connected to the said rocking levers and are located in the lines of departure from the switch assembles, said means to lock the slidable element in closed positions consists of locking bars engageable in notches formed in said slidable elements. and said rocking levers being connected with said locking bars.

3. A railway switch apparatus comprising slidable elements having movable track members thereto attached and the said slidable elements located at the junctures of apass-over track and main lines of track which are relatively parallel to each other, means to move the said slidable elements into closed positions simultaneously through the action of contact elements placed in the respective lines of approach of the switch proper, means to lock the said slidable elements in closed positions and means to simultaneously release the locking elements by the operation of rocking levers adjacent thereto and connected to each "other by elements forming a parallelogram and adapted to exert the forcethereof when acted upon by one of a pair of release elements. which elements are respectively connected to the said rocking levers and are located in the lines of aperture from the switch assemblies, said slidable elements being formed with notches on adjacent sides engageable by locking bars between said slidable elements and constituting said means to lock said slidable elements in said closed p0- FRANK SMITT. 

